700-km long human chain in Kerala protests demonetisation

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 29 (IANS) The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, led by CPI-M, on Thursday formed a 700-km long human chain extending from Raj Bhavan here to Kasargode, to protest the central government’s demonetisation move.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the first in the chain along with former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and the last in the chain at Kasargode district town was the Communist Party of India-Marxist’s Lok Sabha member from Kasargode, P. Karunakaran.

The rehearsal was held 15 minutes before and at 5 p.m. the human chain again was formed and a pledge was read out that was repeated by all.

The chain passed through the national highway and districts like Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, where the highway does not pass and the cadres joined the chain at various places in Alappuzha district.

Likewise, in the hilly districts of Idukki and Wayanad, a separate human chain was formed.

“A record one million people joined the protest and even though similar human chains was formed before, today we could see that there was participation from people cutting across political affiliations,” said CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at a public meeting here, soon after the human chain was formed.

“Demonetisation has crippled our economy, all sectors have been badly affected through this Tughlaq style programme,” Balakrishnan said.

Former Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President V. Muraleedharan said the CPI-M had spread the word that all those who work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme need not work for the day, but if they come for this human chain, they will get the day’s wages.